Asia Tingle
Staff Writer
Whether you’re applying for a cashier position at McDonald’s or a position as a corporate executive at a major corporation, it is important to have a resume. A resume gives the prospective employer a lasting impression on you.
The purpose of a resume is to get an interview. A resume tells the employer about you as a person, your accomplishments, and whether or not you posses the skills that the employer is seeking.
School is coming to an end and there are seniors and graduate students who are looking for a job. There may be other students who are looking for part-time summer employment. Whether you plan on working for Burger King or Trustmark, it is time for you to begin your resume if you haven’t already.
According to About.com, here are some tips for composing a “winning” resume:
• Choose the Right Resume Format: There are several basic types of resumes used to apply for job openings. Depending on your personal circumstances, choose a chronological, functional, combination, or a targeted resume so that your most important and relevant experience is listed first, with key accomplishments listed at the top of each position.
• Choose a Basic Font: When writing a resume, it is important to use a basic font that is easy to read, both for hiring managers and for applicant management systems.
• Don’t Overcrowd Your Resume: Keep your resume to one page whenever possible and allow for plenty of white space.
Assistant Director at the Career Service Center, Lavenita Cottrell, said, “Resumes should never tell everything about you. Leave something for the employer to ask you if interested.”
• Include All Your Contact Information: It’s important to include all your contact information on your resume so employers can easily get in touch with you. Include your full name, street address, city, state, and zip, home phone number, cell phone number, and email address.
• Avoid Mistakes: Don’t use words you aren’t familiar with, and perform spell check on your finished resume.
• Grammatical Mistakes: The duties you are currently performing should be in present tense and those from past jobs should be in past tense. Write out all numbers between one and nine and use numerals for all numbers above ten. Make sure your date formats are consistent (i.e. 11/21/01 or Nov. 22, 2001)
“Potential employers notice grammatical errors. It leads the employer to think that you will be careless on the job if you have many grammatical errors in your resume,” said Cottrell.
• Words Count: Use of language is extremely important; use small pieces of information so that your resume is easily read and avoid using “I”.
• Make the Most of Your Experience: Employers need to know what you have accomplished to have an idea of what you can do for their company.
Cottrell said, “Your resume markets your skills. That resume should include relevant information, education history, and skills that will be a good fit for that particular organization.”
She also said that employers pay the most attention to skills and relevant work experience. Entry-level positions put more emphasis on education and the type of skills you posses to see whether you are what the organization is looking for.
If you need help composing a resume, Career Services encourages you to register with Tigers2Work at 10.14.12.245 and upload a resume. A staff person will critique it. The Career Guide is also available in hard copy and online for students to actually look at resume examples.
For more help with writing resumes, contact Career Services at 601-979-2477.
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